1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a linear motion guide device, and more particularly to a linear motion guide device having improved ball or roller guiding mechanisms for facilitating the sliding movements between objects.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical bearings are provided and engaged between two rotary members, for facilitating the rotational movements between the two rotary or sliding members.
However, when two objects are slidably engaged or coupled with each other, no suitable linear motion guide devices have been provided for facilitating the sliding movements between the two slidable objects.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,846 to Michioka et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,678 to Shirai, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,652,146 to Lee disclose three of the typical linear motion guide devices each comprising two endless and sliding type roller connectors slidably received in two endless roller-circulation paths.
However, each of the endless and sliding type roller connectors includes a number of balls or rollers that are required to be coupled or connected together with a complicated connection portion such that the typical linear motion guide devices each comprising a complicated configuration that may not be easily assembled, and that may cost much for manufacturing purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,789 to Chen, U.S. Pat. No. 6,200,031 to Faulhaber et al., U.S. patent application Publication No. US2002/0021847 to Wu, and U.S. patent application Publication No. US2002/0141667 to Ishihara disclose the other typical linear motion guide devices each also comprising two endless and sliding type roller connectors slidably received in two endless roller-circulation paths.
However, for stably and smoothly retaining the balls or rollers within the endless roller-circulation paths, a number of parts or elements are required to be manufactured and assembled, to allow the balls or rollers to be easily assembled into and retained within the endless roller-circulation paths, and to prevent the balls or rollers from being disengaged from the endless roller-circulation paths, such that the typical linear motion guide devices also comprising a complicated configuration that may not be easily assembled, and that may cost much for manufacturing purposes.
For example, U.S. patent application Publication No. US2002/0021847 to Wu includes two end caps that are required to be secured together with male protuberances and female recesses, and two oil scrapers are required to be secured to the end caps with a number of tenons and positioning flanges. In addition, the sliding block may not be solidly attached to the guide plates.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,200,031 to Faulhaber et al., two reversing plates are anchored to a carriage member by projections that may not solidly secure the reversing plates and the carriage member together, such that the reversing plates may have good chances to be separated from the carriage member, and such that vibrations may be generated between the reversing plates and the carriage member.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional linear motion guide devices.